Sunday, May 31, 2015

In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and fully blended. In a saucepan, heat the milk (do not boil). When hot (steaming), add the egg mixture slowly, whisking continuously. Reduce heat to low, and cook until it becomes a smooth custard, stirring to keep from boiling. Note: Alternatively, use a doubleboiler. Remove custard from the heat and set aside to cool.

When completely cooled, whip the cream to stiff peaks and gently fold into the custard mixture with a spatula.Transfer to an ice cream maker and freeze according to directions.

Without an ice cream maker: Pour into a metal container (baking pan works well), cover with lid or foil, and freeze for one hour. Remove, break up with a metal spoon, transfer to a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer (30 seconds) or whisk briskly until smooth, and freeze again. Repeat after another hour. Freeze for 3 hours before serving or packing into smaller closed containers.Additions: When adding dry pieces of chocolate, cereal, cookie pieces, etc., stir them just before adding to the ice cream freezer, or after the first freeze if using the old-fashioned method.

Preparation
Remove skin and bones from fish and cut into small pieces.
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients to make a thick mixture.
Bring oil to medium heat in a deep fryer or a deep skillet or frying pan (use plenty of oil). Drop mixture by the heaping tablespoonful in the oil and fry until golden on all sides. Drain in a colander.
Note: Have a bowl of cold water at hand. After each spoonful, dip the spoon in cold water before taking the next.

Preparation
Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil grate.
Cut a slit in steak to create a pocket that is open on one side only. In a cup, mix together 1 tablespoon olive oil and lemon juice; brush over both sides of fish. Set aside.
In a small skillet, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil and garlic over medium heat. Cook spinach in oil until wilted. Remove from heat, and stuff into pocket. Place feta in pocket over spinach.

Directions
Clean the partridges very well.
Fry the partridges and the onions in the oil for about 10 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, parsley, orange rind, cinnamon, clove and a few cups water.
Cook on medium heat for 1 1/2 hours.

Preparation
Heat oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds. Add shrimp and saute until almost cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add artichokes, feta, tomatoes, lemon juice, parsley and oregano and saute until shrimp are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Transfer pasta to large bowl. Add shrimp mixture to pasta and toss to coat. Add salt and pepper if needed and serve. Bon appetit!

Preparation
To make this traditional bougatsa recipe, start by making the filling (steps 1-3). To prepare the filling for the bougatsa add in a large bowl the sugar, eggs and flour; whisk until the ingredients combine.
Pour into a saucepan the milk and the vanilla extract and bring to the boil. Right before the milk comes to the boil, ladle 1/3 of the milk into the flour mixture and stir.
Turn the heat down and add the flour mixture into the saucepan with the remaining warm milk. Whisk very quickly, until the mixture has thickened and is smooth and creamy. (Do not remove the pan from the stove.) This should take 2-3 minutes. Remove the pan from the stove and stir occasionally, to keep the custard from forming a skin on top, while you prepare the rest of the bougatsa recipe.
For this bougatsa recipe you will need a large baking tray, approx. 20×30 cm. Using a pastry brush, butter the bottom and sides of the tray.
Unroll the phyllo dough from the plastic sleeve. To make this bougatsa recipe you will need 10-12 phyllo sheets. Use 5-6 sheets of phyllo for the bottom of the bougatsa and 4-5 sheets for the top.
Begin by layering the sheets one by one on the bottom of the tray, making sure to sprinkle each one thoroughly with melted butter. Tip in the custard, smoothing the surface with a spatula and fold the phyllo sheet flaps over the custard. Top the bougatsa with 4-5 phyllo sheets, sprinkling each sheet with melted butter. With a knife trim some of the excessive phyllo, if you like, and roll the rest on the edges. Brush the top with enough butter and scar the top of the bougatsa with a sharp knife.
Bake the bougatsa in preheated oven at 160 for 45 minutes, until the phyllo is crisp and golden.

Let the bougatsa cool down for a while before serving and sprinkle with icing sugar and cinnamon. Enjoy while still warm with a hot cup of coffee or tea.

Preparation
To prepare these Greek sesame bread rings recipe, start by making the dough. In the mixer’s bowl add the lukewarm water, the yeast and sugar and stir. Wrap well with plastic wrap and set aside for about 8-10 minutes, until the yeast starts bubbling. Into the same bowl, add first the flour, then the salt and olive oil. Using the dough hook, mix all the ingredients at low speed for about 7 minutes, until the dough becomes an elastic ball. When done, remove the dough from the hook and check out its texture. It should be smooth and elastic and slightly sticky. If it is too sticky, add just a little more flour (1/2 tsp), mix and check again.
Coat lightly a bowl with some olive oil, place the dough inside and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough sit in warm place for about 30 minutes. Knead the dough again at medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes.
Turn the dough onto a working surface and divide into 10 pieces. Take one piece of the dough and roll out into a rope approx. 35cm long. Form a circle and join the ends pinching them together. Place the bread ring on a large baking tray, lined up with parchment paper and repeat with the rest of the dough. (You will need two large baking trays.)
Prepare the ingredients for the garnish. In one bowl pour some water. In a separate bowl or tray place the sesame seeds. Dip the koulouria (bread rings) in water and then in sesame seeds, making sure to cover them on all sides. Place them back on your baking sheets, leaving some distance between them. Let them rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes. (For garnish you can also petimezi for extra flavour. Use 1/3 of a cup petimezi diluted in 1/4 of cup water and dip the bread rings first in the petimezi mixture and then in sesame seeds.)

Bake in preheated oven at 200C for about 15 minutes, until nicely golden brown and crusty. Enjoy!

Put the chickpeas and flour in a bowl, cover with plenty of cold water and soak overnight. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Drain the chickpeas, rinse and put into a large round ceramic pot with a good-fitting lid. Cover with 4 cups of water and add the onions, bay leaves and olive oil. Stir a few times to distribute the onion, then put the lid on. Bake in the oven for 2 hours.

Lower the temperature to 350 degrees F and remove the pot from the oven. The contents should be nice and bubbly. Season well with salt and pepper and mix. Return the pot, still covered, to the oven for a further 2 hours, when the chickpeas will be lovely and soft with a little of the thick liquid left. Turn off the oven and leave the covered pot inside to cool for about 1 hour. Taste for salt and pepper, then serve warm, with a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice, if you like.

Cut the tomatoes into 4 pieces, and with a spoon remove the flesh. Chop the flesh of the tomatoes, into small cubes and place in a colander with some salt. Leave them for 30 minutes.
Into a bowl, combine the chopped tomatoes, the onions and mix with a spoon; add the herbs, and the feta cheese, smashed with a fork. In a separate bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder.
Add the four mixture to the tomato mixture, whilst stirring with a spoon, until the ingredients are combined and the mixture is firm enough to make the balls. Add a little more flour if needed. Put in the fridge for 30 minutes.
In a pan add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan, and heat the oil into medium-high heat. Dip a tablespoon in some water and spoon out some of the mixture into the hot oil. Repeat this procedure until the surface off the pan is comfortably filled. You should dip the spoon in the water every time, so that the dough doesn’t stick on it. Fry the tomatokeftedes for about 2-3 minutes on each side, until nicely colored. Place them on paper towel, to absorb the extra olive oil.

Enjoy this very best Greek island recipe with some crusted bread, yogurt and a sip of ouzo!

To prepare this traditional loukoumades recipe, start by making the dough. In the mixers bowl add the water and yeast. Stir with a fork and wait for 5 minutes, until the yeast dissolves completely. Into the same bowl, add the rest of the ingredients for the dough and whisk at high speed (for about 2 minutes) until the mixture becomes a smooth batter. Cover the bowl with some plastic wrap and let the dough rest in a warm place for at least 1 hour to rise.
Into a medium sized frying pan pour enough vegetable oil to deep fry the loukoumades. Heat the oil to high heat until it begins to bubble. Test if the oil is hot enough by dipping in some of the dough for the loukoumades. If it sizzles the oil is ready.
Dip a tablespoon in some water and spoon out some of the dough into the hot oil. Repeat this procedure until the surface off the pan is comfortably filled. You should dip the spoon in the water every time, so that the batter doesn’t stick on it.
While the loukoumades are fried, use a slotted spoon to push them into the oil and turn them on all sides, until golden brown. Place the loukoumades on some kitchen paper to drain. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

When done, place the loukoumades on a large platter, drizzle with the heated honey and sprinkle with cinnamon and chopped walnuts.

Preparation
Combine the garlic, oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, cracked black pepper, sea salt and the dried oregano in a large bowl. Use the bowl in which you will marinate your fish.
Add the fish and ensure it is thoroughly coated in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
Line a broiler/griller tray with aluminium foil and place the fish on in a single layer. Broil/Grill the fish for 5-10 minutes each side. Only turn the fish once during the cooking (as you do not want it to fall apart). Grill until the fish is cooked.

Preparation
Stir together 1 3/4 cups flour and 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl. Work in butter until the mixture becomes crumbly. Stir in water a tablespoon at a time, just until the dough comes together and is no longer dry. Form into a ball, and wrap with plastic; refrigerate 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Roll out the dough on a floured surface and line a 10-inch pie pan. Trim excess from the edges of the pan. Pierce the bottom of the dough several times with a fork, then set aside.
Beat eggs in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon flour, and half of the cinnamon; continue beating until firm peaks form. Beat in honey, then fold in ricotta cheese until evenly combined. Pour the filling into the prepared pie shell and smooth the top of the pie with a moistened knife.

Bake in preheated oven until the center is set and the top is dark golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. Once finished, remove from oven, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon.

Wash out the meat with red wine. Put salt and pepper on it and powder all the portions with dill. Put on the bottom of the mastelo (special ceramic utensil for this specific dish without a cover) the vine-twigs crosswise forming a grid. Put the pieces of meat over the wine-twigs. Optionally, you can cover the pieces of meat with suet at the end of the process. Spray the food with 1 ½ - 2 wine glasses of red wine (if it is clear, you can use the wine that we used to wash off the meat). Cover the utensil with tinfoil and use a fork or a knife to make small holes on it. Put it in the wood oven for 4 ½ to 5 hours!

ADVICE If you want to cook the food in an electric oven, make it cook for an hour at 200 degrees and then continue cooking it at 100 degrees. If you are going to use an electric oven cover the food with oil paper instead of tinfoil and do not open any holes on it! Many people put under the wine-twigs potatoes powdered with salt and pepper cut exactly the way you cut the potatoes to make roast meat!

Remove crusts from bread and soak slices briefly in a bowl of water. Squeeze out excess water and set aside. Add tarama and onion to food processor or blender and mix for approximately a minute or until well blended. Tear the bread into pieces and add to processor or blender. Mix until combined. With machine running, slowly drizzle the olive oil into the mixture forming a paste. Add the lemon juice a bit at a time and blend until smooth and creamy.If you prefer it tangier, you can add more lemon juice. Serve taramosalata with pita triangles or other bread for dipping and enjoy with a glass of chilled ouzo!

Preparation
Blend all the vegetables, apart from the tomatoes, into a blender, until finely chopped.
Heat a large saucepan into high heat and add the olive oil. Pour in the vegetable mixture and sauté.
Cut the cherry tomatoes into halves and add them into the pan along with the mussels and the feta cheese (crushed).

Pour in the white wine and cook at high heat, with the lid on, for 8-10 minutes.

Preparation
To prepare the gigantes plaki, start by soaking the gigantes beans overnight into plenty of water. Drain them into a colander and rinse with plenty of water.
Place the gigantes in a large pan with cold water, enough to cover them, add a pinch of sea salt and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 45 minutes, until tender but not cooked. Drain them in a colander and set aside.
In the meantime, pour into a large baking pan the olive oil, add the chopped onions, the whole garlic clove (peeled) and bake at 180C, until softened and slightly colored (approx. 15 minutes).
Turn the baking pan out of the oven; add the gigantes beans (drained), the celery, the parsley, ½ cup of hot water and season with salt and pepper. Put back in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
Turn the baking tray out of the oven, blend the gigantes beans lightly with a wooden spoon and pour in the grated tomatoes or plum tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, add a pinch of oregano and bake the gigantes plaki further for 50-60 minutes at 180C, until the beans are soft and tender and the sauce thickens.

For an easier alternative, after soaking the gigantes beans overnight, drain and rinse them. Place in a large pan with enough water to cover them and bring to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes, drain them and place into a large baking pan, along with all of the ingredients, cover with some aluminum foil and bake at 180C for approx. 2 hours. The last 30 minutes, bake without the aluminium foil. Enjoy!

Soak the bread or melba toast in wine. Finely chop the onion and the garlic. Strain the soaked bread or melba toast and combine them with the minced meat. Then add the eggs, salt, pepper, cinnamon and the pounded cumin. Wet your hands with wine and mix the ingredients very well. Then, shape the soudzoukakia and fry them. Prepare a red sauce with 1 pound tomatoes and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the olives to the soudzoukakia and simmer.

Clean the octopus well. Boil the fennel in some water for 6 minutes, strain and finely chop. Slightly saute the spring onions in olive oil in a pot. Add the chopped octopus and 2 cups of water and simmer for about 50 minutes. Use a fork to check whether the octopus is done or not. Then extinguish with wine and add fennel, tomatoes, salt and 1 extra cup of water. Continue simmering and add some more water, if required.Add the olives 10 minutes before removing the food from heat. Sprinkle with abundant freshly ground pepper and serve warm

Take 1 cup of milk and add it to a bowl along with your corn starch and rice flour. Mix until dissolved and set aside.

In a medium-sized pot, add the remaining 6 cups of milk and bring to a boil over medium heat. As soon as your milk comes to a boil, add the sugar, rosewater and reduce the heat to medium. Stir until dissolved.

Add the corn starch/rice flour and milk mixture into your hot milk and stir for a couple of minutes until the mixture comes to the consistency of a thick cream.Â Place the lid on the pot, take off the heat and reserve.

Grease the bottom of your skillet with butter and sprinkle with 2 heaping Tbsps. of sugar. Place your skillet over medium-high heat and watch over it as your sugar caramelizes. As soon as it has just gone black, add two ladles of your thick cream mixture to sufficiently cover the surface of your skillet. Allow the the cream to bubble and cook for about a minute and to form the “bottom crust”. Take off the heat and allow to cool for 3-4 minutes.

With your ladle, gently add the remaining cream over your burnt milk in the skillet. This step is important as you do not want to disturb the bottom crust and taint your cream mixture. Continue to add the cream mixture (ladle by ladle) and allow to cool for a few minutes. Place in the fridge overnight.

The next day when serving, cut a piece of the Kazan Dibi with your spatula and then slide underneath the piece and quickly (but carefully) flip the piece so that the burnt side is facing up.

Serve “as is” or sprinkle some ground pistachios and cinnamon and serve cool.